A new report from CSIRO "highlights potential future water shortages in western NSW" and "shows how climate change is hurting regional people", Farmers for Climate Action said today.

The CSIRO report says that "Food security is a growing challenge," with "21% of Australians experienced multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake in the previous 12 months (severe food insecurity). Meanwhile, a further 24% reported reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diets (moderate food insecurity)".

The report also says that sufficient access to safe water is another critical aspect of food security.

According to the report an estimated 630,000 people across over 400 regional and remote locations have poor-quality water that 'does not meet Australian Drinking Water Guidelines across safety, taste, and physical characteristics'.

"Access is especially a challenge in some rural towns, where during droughts, they run out of water and face high water transportation costs," it said.

Farmers for Climate Action spokesperson and NSW sheep and cropping farmer Peter Holding said the CSIRO report showed "Australia's food and water supply was ill-equipped to deal with climate change, and that access to clean water would be a growing issue for western NSW. Walgett, Wellington, and Lake Cargelligo have all had issues with water supply in recent years".

"Climate change is hurting rural and regional Australians right now, with farmers on the receiving end of repeat damage from floods, fires and drought. It's sending insurance premiums through the roof and sending farmers broke," Holding said.

ABOVE: Peter Holding. Image: Climate Media Centre.

The CSIRO report calls for "Improved and efficient water management and infrastructure."

"Amid growing concerns about the increasing frequency and severity of climate change-induced drought and flooding, stakeholders have suggested that further research is required to ensure water management strategies and infrastructure is optimized and efficient," it said.

"The underlying message in this roadmap is that we have to change course. Climate change, growing demand, and supply chain disruptions are all increasing in severity. With our food at risk, we too are at risk," the report said.

Beyond water security issues, the CSIRO report said the roadmap outlined better access to healthy diets and minimizing food waste as those among the five key areas of opportunity identified for improvement.

Kirsten Rose, CSIRO's Executive Director, Future Industries, said the roadmap would provide an important resource for decision-makers.

"Australia's food systems currently support an estimated 70 million people across the nation and through our export markets, so it's critical those systems are robust enough to meet future needs," Rose said.

"This roadmap represents a collective approach to tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the security and health of our food."

With input from more than 120 stakeholders across the country, CSIRO's Director of Agriculture and Food, Dr Michael Robertson, said the roadmap covered a broad look at food systems and how they interact with wider societal systems.

"Recent climate extremes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical uncertainties show that we need to prepare our food systems for a shifting risk landscape in our interdependent world," Dr Robertson said.